Police: Longmont girl hit by car was wearing headphones

The Longmont girl who suffered serious injuries after being hit while riding her bike was wearing iPod headphones, and that may have contributed to the accident, police said.

Kris Ford, a master police officer with the Longmont Police Department's traffic unit, said Caitlyn Kerlee, 13, of Longmont, was riding her bike east on Mountain View Avenue near Fordham Street in the bike lane a little before 1 p.m. Thursday. She apparently made a sudden left turn in front of a 2005 Chrysler Town & Country driven by 70-year-old Kenneth Vailey, also of Longmont.

Caitlyn was taken to Longmont United Hospital, then airlifted to The Children's Hospital in Aurora, where she was listed in critical but stable condition on Friday afternoon.

Ford said witnesses said the driver was going roughly 25 miles an hour, 10 miles less than the posted speed limit on the road. Neither speed, drugs nor alcohol appear to have played a role in the accident.

"The motorist was doing everything he was supposed to be doing," said Ford, who noted the investigation was ongoing. "I don't want to say 'fault,' but the investigation appears to show the violation that led to the crash was on the bicyclist."

Ford said bicyclists shouldn't wear headphones while they ride so they can be aware of their surroundings.

"Had she heard the cars behind her, she might not have made the lane change that led to the accident," he said.

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